IanG

A sweet story and also a timely one about taking others as they are.

There are some things we can control and others we can't. It may sound obvious, but we don't always identify what we can and can't control correctly. You may think that something is out of your hands, then find a way to influence events. Some people think they can solve anything and then find out they can't. Even adults sometimes misjudge situations. The main thing is to forgive yourself for mistakes and, if possible, do something to make amends or at least learn from said mistakes. We may never be perfect but we can get better.

You're not being selfish, its not your fault if your parents are falling out. They're adults and need to accept some responsibility for their own actions. Yours is not the only family where arguments get out of hand, it happens more often than you may think. I get the impression that you havn't opened up to anyone about this before, perhaps other people have similar issues but they too keep quiet about them. You're not alone in having flawed parents.

I don't know all the answers, but laying all the blame on yourself alone is not one of them.

I lke the metaphore of the fist and the whole poem is evocative. Good work.

I like your descriptions and your treatment of a difficult subject. Not everyone will agree with the parent's beliefs but many would relate to their situation.

I suspected that girl in a coma and girl on the balcony were the same before the big reveal but your writing shows promise.

I like the comparison of the ringmaster to a potato. You evoke a different, I think more innocent time very well. The attempted robbey came up ratber suddenly, its as well to foreshadow these tbings. Then again it would be sudden for them. Overall, well done.

This is a nice twist on the theme of don't underestimate the elderly. Chsracters and settings are described very well

A lot of people have felt like this, especially in their teens but sometimes at other ages. You sum it up well.